4 restaurants are fined for after-hours drinking

August 02, 2006|By LARRY CARSON | LARRY CARSON,SUN REPORTER

Four Howard county restaurants are facing fines totaling $1,050 for allowing drinking after hours.

A $100 fine was imposed in a written decision yesterday on the owners of Crickett's Bar, in the 9700 block of Washington Blvd. in Laurel, by the county liquor board, which is made up of County Council members. The county liquor inspector, Detective Martin Johnson, found two employees drinking at 2:53 a.m. Jan. 21.

In decisions signed July 27 by the county's Alcoholic Beverage Hearing Board, owners of the Ram's Head at Savage Mill and Sonoma's Bar and Grille in Owen Brown Village Center were each ordered to pay $350 for allowing alcohol to be imbibed after the 2 a.m. closing time. Also, owners of Zapata's Cantina, in Harper's Choice Village Center, were fined $250.

Two doormen were caught drinking beer at 2:30 a.m. Jan. 21 at the Ram's Head. Both were suspended for a week, according to licensee Kyle Muelhauser's testimony. At Sonoma's on Feb. 25, employees were found drinking at 2:57 a.m., according to testimony. At Zapata's on Jan. 22, licensee Cesar Florez told the board a group of customers refused to leave or to give up their drinks. A patrolling police officer found after-hours drinking there.